Plural position actuator



Dec. 19, 1961 R. T. MARETTE PLURAL POSITION ACTUATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Deo. 2l, 1960 INVENTOR. RAL PH 7 NE'ETTE BY R/CHE'KMFNE'NNYAFAR/Nd/ 7;. NEYS d A] fu Dec, 19, 1961 R. T. MARETTE I PLURAL POSITION ACTUATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 21, 1960 N Rm m Y 0 6 E MR VA mn R- 4 7 F w A H N7 P N M fw E YW. B N 4M Y, f E Mw \N\\\\\ i tate 3,013,534 PLURAL PSITION ACTUATOR Ralph T. Maretto, Cleveland Heights, Ohio, assigner to The Weatherhead Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Dec. 21, 1%1), Ser. No. 77,365 13 Ciminna. (Cl. 121-41) This invention relates to iluid operated actuators and more particularly to a vacuum powered actuator adapted to selectively move a device between several different preselected positions.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a vacuum operated actuator adapted to shift an object between a plurality of selected positions responsive to selective connection of the vacuum power source to the actuator.

Another object of this invention is to provide a vacuum operated actuator in accordance with the foregoing object which has a fast response to the selected position and is stable at the selected position without oscillation or hunting about that position.

Another object of this invention is to provide a vacuum operated actuator in which the valving to control position of the actuator is separate from the actuator motor and is shifted directly by the motor to selectively close olf ports connected to the vacuum source.

Another object of this invention is to provide a vacuum operated actuator in which the selector valve is a spool or seal member which is shiftable along a bore between positions partially blocking oli a selected one of a plurality of ports connected to the vacuum source to maintain a balance of iluid iiow between a bleed passage opening into the bore and the port connected to the vacuum source.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a vacuum operated actuator as set forth in the preceding object in which the control valve is insensitive to vacuum applied to other position selecting ports on one direction from the selected position port.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a vacuum powered actuator in accordance with the preceding objects which is simple in construction with a minimum number of component parts and is relatively inexpensive to manufacture without sacrifice of reliability of operation.

Further objects and advantages relating to the construction and operation of the actuator of this invention will readily appear from the following description of the preferred embodiments of the invention as shown in the drawings in which:

FlG. 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view through the actuator;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectiona1 View taken on line 2-2 of FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the actuator of this invention; and

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

Referring now in greater'detail to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the actuator shown therein employs a vacuum powered actuator motor of the type disclosed in the co-pending application by the same inventor, Serial No. 829,718, led July 27, 1959. This actuator finds particular use in automobiles in positioning valves and dampers used in the heating and defrosting system.

The actuator has a Valve body member 10 which is roughly cylindrical in shape with enlarged ends 11 and 12. An axial bore 13 extends through the Valve body 10 from the enlarged end 12 and terminates within the opposite enlarged end 11 iu a conical end portion 14 cut by the drill point used in forming the bore 13. A small diameter bleed passage 16 passes outwardly through the end Wall 15 of the valve body 1i) from the point ofthe conical end portion 14. This bleed passage 16 is of a size to allow a rate of flow of atmospheric air into the bore 13 which is substantially less than the rate at which the vacuum source can evacuate air from the motor charnber as described in greater detail hereinafter.

An expansible chamber fluid motor in the form of bellows 18 is secured to the valve body 10 adjacent the end 12. Bellows 18 is shown as formed from a piece of flexible rubber hose in accordance with the co-pending application referred to hereinabove. The hose is resiliently ilexible and the ends are squeezed together and closed off by means of clamps 21 and 22 to define a chamber 19 within the bellows. The bellows 18 is fastened to valve body 19 by means of a plug 24 which passes through an opening in the side wall portion 26 of the bellows adjacent the valve body lil. A threaded shank 25 on plug 24 engages a threaded counterbore 26 within the valve body 10 to secure these members together. Plug 24 has a radially extending flange 27 on the inner side of bellows wall 2li within chamber 19 opposite the end face 28 of valve body 10. Flange 27 and end face 28 are each provided with annular ridges 3G and 3i, respectively, which bite into the hose wall to firmly hold the bellows 18 in position on the valve body 10 as the plug 24 is threaded tightly into the counterbore 26. An axial bore 34 is provided within plug 24 to allow the actuator rod 35 to pass freely therethrough. The actuator rod 35 is formed from a flattened rod or strip of metal and extends outwardly through the outer wall Z3 of bellows 13 where it is provided with a suitable hole or eyelet 36 for connection to the device to be moved. The outer end of actuator rod 35 is secured to the bellows wall 23 with a suitable adhesive or cement, and to prevent stressconcentrations in the side wall 23, a thrust plate 38 is attached to theactuator rod on the inner side of bellows wall 23 and held in place by a pin 39. Thus when the bellows tends to collapse due to reduction of air pressure within the chamber 19, the force exerted by the bellows Walls will be absorbed by the thrust plate 38 and transferred to the actuator rod 3S by the pin 39 to prevent loosening of the cemented joint between the bellows and the actuator rod.

A valve spool or sealing member 40 formed of a resilient material such as rubber is mounted on the other end of actuator rod 35 within the bore 13 to define a chamber portion 46 in bore 13. Spool 4t) has an axial bore 41 extending from end to end therethrough7 and is secured to the actuator rod by means of internal annular rib 42 adjacent the mid-point of bore 41. Rib 42 lits into a notched section 43 on the end of the actuator rod and by virtue of the flattened shape of the actuator rod 3S, fluid passages 44 extend past the annular rib 42 on each side of the actuator rod, as shown more clearly in FIG. 2. The mid-section 45 of the valve spool 40 is spaced away from the walls of bore 13 yto reduce any sliding friction between the valve spool and the bore. At the outer end, spool 40 is provided with a flared lip 47 adapted to make sealing contact with the Walls of bore 13. 'A spaced distance behind the flared lip 47 is an annular rib 4S extending circumferentially around the valve spool to make sealing contact with the bore walls. The other end of the valve spool 40 is flared outwardly to form a second lip Stl also adapted to make sealing contact with the walls of bore 13.

At spaced distances along the portion of bore 13 Within the enlarged end section 13, a plurality of ports 52, 53 and 54 extend radially outward from the bore. These ports connect to iittings 55. 56 and 57, respectively, to make connection to a suitable vacuum line.v The ports -52, 53 and 54 are of smaller diameter than the spacing between the lip 47'and rib 48 on valve spool -40 but 3 substantially larger than the bleed passage i6. For eX- ample, a port diameter of 1/16" will give fairly rapid response for the motor, and the bleed passage would then be l5 to 25% of the port diameter or .0lO-.Gl5. lt will be understood that the fittings 55, S6 and 57 are connected to a suitable selector valve for selective connection to a source of vacuum which, when the actuator is used in an automobile, may be the intake manifold of the automobile engine. rl`he selector valve, vacuum source and connecting lines between the valve and the iitting have not been shown and will not be described further since they form no part of the present invention.

When all of the ports 52, 53 and 54 are disconnected from the vacuum source, air enters freely through the bleed passage i6 through bore 13, passage 44 within the valve spool 40, and bore 34 into the chamber i@ within bellows 18. Since the bellows 18 is formed from resilient material, the center section intermediate the clamps 2l and 22 where the actuator rod 35 is connected will tend to assume a circular shape so that the side walls 23 and 20 are spaced apart. As a result, the actuator assumes an extended position with the valve spool di) in the position shown in FGS. l and 2 with the lip 50 in abutting Contact with the inner end of plug 2d.

When vacuum is connected to port 52, leaving ports S3 and 54 blocked off, the air is withdrawn from within the bellows chamber l@ so that the force of the external atmosphere causes the side walls 26 and 23 to move together and reduce the volume of chamber i9. Movement of side wall 23 forces the actuator rod 35 and hence valve spool 4G toward the end wall i5 of bore 13 until the lip 47 passes across port 52. Since atmospheric air can enter through the restricted bleed passage i6 only at a rate substantially less than the rate at which it is withdrawn by the vacuum source, the leakage of air through this bleed passage does not noticeably affect the operation of the actuator motor. The valve spool will continue to move until the port 52 is partially blocked and will remain stationary in this position with a pressure balance equilibrium between the net ow of air inwardly through the bleed passage 16 and the net flow of air outwardly through the partially blocked port 52. In this position there is no flow of air into or out of the bellows chamber 19, and the actuator will therefore remain stable in this position so long as the vacuum source remains connected. Fluctuations in the pressure of the vacuum source will not produce any substantial change in the position of the actuator, since the valve spool will be shifted automatically to change the efective area of the vacuum port until equilibrium is restored.

If the vacuum is now applied to the adjacent port 53 while maintaining the third port 5ft blocked, the actuator rod 35 and valve spool it? will now be shifted closer toward the end wall 15 of the bore until the lip 47 partially obstructs port 53 to obtain a iiow balance between the bleed passage 16 and effective area of port 53. When the actuator is in this position, it does not matter whether the first port 52 is obstructed, connected to a vacuum source, or left open to the atmosphere. Port 52 now opens into the space around the mid-section of valve spool di), and this space is closed olf at one end by the annular rib 43 which closes off bore 13 in the space between the ports 52 and 53 at the other end by the lip Sti. Since the space surrounding the reduced mid-section 45 of the spool is not connected to any of the other ports or to the chamber 19, vacuum connection to this port cannot affect the operation ofthe actuator.

Likewise, if vacuum is applied to the third port 54, the spool and actuator rod will move downwardly until lip 47 partially blocks port 54 to obtain fluid balance in the aforedescribed manner. Since rib 4S seals off port 5d from either of the ports 52 and 53, and since the lip 5G at the opposite end of the valve spool 49 seals off the space around mid-section 45 where ports 52 and 53 are connected from the remainder of bore 13, the ports 52 and 53 may be connected to either vacuum or the atmosphere without affecting the operation of the actuator.

From the above described description of the operation of the actuator, it will be seen that the actuator can assume any one of four positions, depending upon whether none of the ports is connected to vacuum, or whether one of the ports 52, 53 and 54 is connected to the vacuum source. The ports are made of such a size that the vacuum source can quickly exhaust the air contained within chamber i9 so that the valve spool 4i) moves quickly to partially biock the port. If the inertia of the valve spool should cause it to overshoot the port connected to vacuum, the fluid dow outwardly through this port will be stopped or reduced and the air entering in through the restricted bleed passage i6 will rell the chamber i9 and cause the bellows to expand until the lip t7 partially blocks the vacuum port to obtain the necessary restriction and port size to balance the air flow inwardly through the bleed passage 16. lf the vacuum source is disconnected from the port which has been sclected to position the actuator, air will iiow inwardly through bleed passage 16 to fill the chamber 19, and the resiliency of the bellows 18 will withdraw the actuator rod 35 and valve spool 40 back into the extended position as shown in FIGS. l and 2.

Another embodiment of the invention employing a pisyton type motor is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. As shown therein, the actuator has a body 6G comprising a reduced shank portion 61 having an axial bore 62 extending partially therethrough. At the one end, shank portion 61 is connected to an enlarged cylinder portion 64 having a bore 65 therethrough connected to and coaxial with the bore 62. An actuator rod 67 having a attened crosssection is mounted within the bores 62 and 65 and extends outwardly through a bore 71 in the end cap 70 which covers the outer end of cylinder portion 64. This projecting end of the actuator rod 67 is provided with a hole or eyelet 68 for connection to the device to be moved.

A piston in the form of a plate 73 is positioned within the cylinder bore 65 around the actuator rod 67 and defines a vacuum chamber 72 on the side of piston 73 adjacent shank portion 61. A seal member 74 is positioned adjacent the piston 73 on the side toward the cap 70 and extends across the cylinder bore 65 from wall to wall to make sealing contact with the walls along the flange or lip portion 75. A conical coil compression spring 76 is fitted within the vacuum chamber 72 to bear at the one end against the end wall 77 of the vacuum chamber and at the other end against a washer 79 surrounding actuator rod 67 adjacent the piston or plate 73. A pin Sti extends transversely through actuator rod 67 between plate 73 and washer 79 to transmit the forces applied to plate 73 and washer 79 to the actuator rod.

A valve spool S2 of a suitable resilient material such as rubber, is fitted within the bore 62 in shank portion 6l. Valve spool 82 has an axial bore 83 passing therethrough, and bore 83 is provided with an inwardly projecting annular rib 84 at its mid-portion which fits into a notched portion 85 on the end of actuator rod 67 to secure the valve spool to the actuator rod. Since the actuator rod 67 has a flattened cross-sectional shape, iuid passages 36 are left around the annular rib 84 adjacent each of the flattened sides of the actuator rod. At the end of valve spool 82 away from the cylinder portion 64 the valve spool is flared outwardly to form a lip 88 adapted to make sealing contact with the walls of bore 62. An annular sealing rib S9 extends circumferentiall] around the valve spool a spaced distance behind the lip 3S. The mid-portion 9() of valve spool S2 is reduced in diameter to reduce sliding friction between the valve spool and bore 62, and an annular sealing rib 91 extends radially outwardly on the mid-portion 90 intermediate the ends to make sealing contact with the walls of bore 62. At the other end, valve spool 32 is provided with a second dared lip 93 also adaptentrasse ed to malre sealing contact with the walls of bore 62 when the valve spo-oi S2 is positioned fully within the bore.

The end of shank portion 6l of body 60 away from the cylinder portion d@ is provided with a projecting lug 95 through which extends a transverse hole or eyelet 96 for connecting the other end of the actuator to a stationary point. Thus, operation of the actuator changes the distance between the hole 96 in lug 95 and thehole iu the end of actuator rod nl' to shift a movable member such as a valve or the like. A restricted bleed passage 9S extends through the end wall of shank portion 6l to connect the bore o?. to the external atmosphere. A pair of ports lltl and lill open into bore 62 at spaced points along its axis and are connected to suitable iittings 193 and 104. These iittings are connected through a selector valve to a suitable vacuum source in the manner described herein above in lconjunction with the embodiment of FIGS. l and 2.

The actuator of this embodiment functions in substantially the same manner'as that of the embodiment of FIGS. l and 2. When a vacuum is applied to port l@ through the tting 193, the fluid within the chamber 72 in cylinder portion 64 is exhausted through the bore 83 and liuid passages S6 in the valve spool 82, bore 62 and the port itl. As the pressure within chamber 72 drops, the external atmosphere entering through the space around the actuator rod 67 in bore il in cap 7d exerts a force upon the seal 74 and piston or pirate 73 to shift the actuator rod 67 toward end wall 77. The compression spring 76 is sufciently light that it is easily compressed by this force and provides no `appreciable resistance to the movement of the actuator. When the lip 33 on valve spool 82 partially obstructs the port lo@ to obtain a balance of iiuid flow between the air entering through the bleed passage 93 and that passing outwardly to the vacuum source through the eiiective area of port litt?, the actuator will remain in equilibrium in this position. if the actuator should respond too rapidly overshoot ,the port itil?, the vacuum source connected at port it will not be connected to the cylinder chamber 72, Since the bore 62 is blocked oli by the rib 39 adjacent the ilared lip S8, and if rib 89 should overshoot the port, the bore is still blocked oli by the annular sealing rib 9i on the-mid-portion 50 of the valve spool. if such an overshoot should occur, the air entering through the restricted bleed passage 9S will reiill the chamber 72 so that compression spring 76 is able to move the actuator rod back until the port itil) is only` partially obstructed.

in like manner, the application of vacuum tothe other port 101 will cause the actuatorrod 67 and valve spool 32- to move toward end wall 97 until the lip SS partially obstructs the port to obtain the proper balance of iiuid iiow. in this position, the other port lite may be connected either to vacuum or to the atmosphere, since it is blocked .oii from chamber 72 at each side by the sealing rib 91 on the mid-portion of the valve spool and by the ilared lip 93 at the opposite end of the spool.

It will be seen therefore, that the actuator vdescribed above provides 'three positions for the Iactuator rod 67 depending whether Vnone-of the ports is connected to vacuum, or whether port litt) or port ibiv is connected to the vacuum source,v Jfrom both por-ts, air enterino either through the ports 1043 and 101 or throught the bleed passage 93 will relill the chamber 72. so thatV the biasing forcey of compression spring '7o exerted on 'the actuator rod 67 moves the actuator rod back to the ,position shown in FiG. 3.

Although several embodiments ofthe invention haveV been shown and described in detail, it will be understood by those skilled in the artV that the invention is-not limited to these specific embodiments and. Various modifications When the vacuum source is disconnected shifted thereby, passage means connecting said chamberto said motor, a plurality of ports opening into said chamber at spaced distances along said bore, and a bleed pasi sage connecting said chamber to the atmosphere.

2. An actuator comprising a vacuummotor, a valve body vsecured to said motor, said Valve body having an axial bore therein, said bore being closed at one end, a valve member slidable in said bore, said valve member making sealing contact with the walls of said bore to define a chamber therein, means connecting said valve member to said motor to be shifted thereby, passage means extending through said valve member connecting said chamber to said motor, a plurality of ports opening into said chamber' at spaced distances along said bore, and a bleed passage connecting said chamber to the atmosphere, said bleed passage having an effective area smaller than that of any of said ports.

3. An actuator comprising a vacuum motor, a valve body, said valve body having an axial bore therein, said bore being closed at one end, a valve member slidable in said bore, said Valve member making sealing `contact with the walls of said bore to define a chamber therein, means connecting said valve member to said motor to be shifted thereby, means biasing said Valve member away from said closed end of said chamber, passage means connecting said chamber to said motor, a plurality of ports opening into said chamber at spaced distances along said bore, and a bleed passage connecting said chamber to the atmosphere.

4. An actuator comprising a vacuum motor, Va valve body, said valve body having an axial bore therein, said bore being closed at one end, a resilient valve spool slidable in said bore, said valve spool having a lip portion on the end thereof-adjacent said closed end to make sealing contact with the walls of said bore to define a chamber therein, said valve spool having a lip at the end opposite said rst lip to make sealing contact with said bore, the portion of said valve spool intermediate the ends being spaced away from the walls of said bore, means connect ing said valve spool to said motor to be shifted thereby, passage means connecting said chamber to said motor, a plurality of ports opening into said chamber at spaced distances along saidl bore, and ableed passage connecting said chamber to the` atmosphere.

5. An actuator comprising a vacuum motor, a valve body secured to said motor, said valve body having an `axial bore therein, said bore being closed at one end, a resilient valve spool slidable in said bore, said valve spool having a lip portion on the end thereof adjacent said closed end to make sealing contact With the walls of said ,bore to dene a chamber therein, said valve spool having a lip at the end opposite said iirst lip to make sealingcontact with said bore, the portionof said valve spool inter- ,mediate theends being spacedV away from the walls( of said bore, an actuator rod connecting said valve spool to said `motor to be shifted thereby, a passage extending through said valverspool connecting said chamber to said motor, a plurality of ports opening into. said chamber at spaced distances along said bore, and a bleed passage connecting said chamber to the atmosphere. l

6.An yactuator comprising a vacuum motor,v a valve body, said valve body having anraxial bore therein, said bore beingclosed at one end, a resilient valve spool slid*` able in-said bore, said valve spool having a iiared lip at" one end adjacent said closed end of said boreand adapted to make sealing contact with the walls of said bore to dey line a chamber' therein, a lip on the end of said valve spool opposite said first lip to make sealing contact with said bore, a circumferential rib on said valve spool a spaced distance from said first lip to make sealing contact with said bore, the portion of said valve spool intermediate the ends being spaced away from the walls of said bore, means connecting said valve spool to said motor to be shifted thereby, passage means connecting said chamber to said motor, a plurality of ports opening into said chamber at spaced distances along said bore, the axial length of each of said port openings being less than the spacing between said first lip and said rib on said valve spool, and a bleed passage connecting said chamber to the atmosphere.

7. An actuator comprising a vacuum motor, a valve body secured to said motor, said valve body having an axial bore therein, said bore being closed at one end, a resilient valve spool slidable in said bore, said valve spool having a tiared lip at one end adjacent said closed end of said bore and adapted to make sealing contact with the walls of said bore to detine a chamber therein, a lip on the end of said valve spool opposite said first lip to make sealing contact with said bore, a circumferential rib on said valve spool a spaced distance from said tirst lip to make sealing contact with said bore, the portion of said valve spool intermediate the ends being spaced away from the walls of said bore, an actuator rod connecting said valve spool to said motor to be shifted thereby, a passage extending through said valve spool connecting said chamber to said motor, a plurality of ports opening into said chamber at spaced distances along said bore, the axial length of each of said port openings being less than the spacing between said first lip and said rib on said valve spool, and a bleed passage connecting said chamber to the atmosphere.

8. An actuator comprising a tube of resilient material, means at each end of the tube holding the opposite sides of the tube flattened toward one another and closing the respective end of the tube, the opposite sides of the tube being bowed away from each other between the ends of the tube, a valve body secured to one side of the tube, said valve body having an axial bore therein opening into the interior of said tube, said bore being closed at the other end, a valve member slidable in said bore, said valve member making sealing Contact with the walls of said bore to define a chamber between said valve member and said closed end, means connecting said valve member to the other side of said tube, passage means connecting said chamber to the interior of said tube, a plurality of ports opening into said chamber at spaced distances along said bore, and a bleed passage connecting said chamber to the atmosphere.

9, An actuator comprising a tube of resilient material, means at each end of the tube holding the opposite sides of the tube flattened toward one another and closing the respective end of the tube, the opposite sides of the tube being bowed away from each other between the ends of the tube, a valve body secured to one side of said tube, said valve body having an axial bore therein opening into the interior of said tube, said bore being closed at the other end, a resilient valve spool slidable in said bore, said valve spool having a lip portion on the end thereof adjacent said closed end to make Sealing contact with the walls of said bore to define a chamber therein, said valve spool having a lip at the end opposite said first lip to make sealing contact with said bore, the portion of said valve spool intermediate the ends being spaced away from the walls of said bore, means connecting said valve spool to the other wall of said tube, passage means connecting said chamber to the interior of said tube, a plurality of ports opening into said chamber at spaced distances along said bore, and a bleed passage connecting said chamber to the atmosphere.

10. An actuator comprising a tube of resilient material, means at each end ofthe tube holding the opposite sides of the tube flattened toward one another and closing the respective end of the tube, the opposite sides of the tube being bowed away 'from each other between the ends of the tube, a valve body secured to one side of said tube, said valve body having an axial bore therein opening into the interior of said tube, said bore being closed at the other end, a resilient valve spool slidable in said bore, said valve spool having a flared lip at one end adjacent said closed end of said bore and adapted to make sealing contact with the walls of said bore to define a chamber therein, a lip on the end of said valve spool opposite said first lip to make sealing contact with said bore, a circumferential rib on said valve spool a spaced distance from said first lip to make scaling contact with said bore, the portion of said valve spool intermediate the ends being spaced away from the walls of said bore, an actuator rod connecting said valve spool to the other side of said tube, a passage extending through said valve spool connecting said chamber to the interior of said tube, a plurality of ports opening into said chamber at spaced distances along said bore, the axial length of each of said port openings being less than the spacing between said first lip and said rib on said valve spool, and a bleed passage connecting said chamber to the atmosphere.

1l. An actuator comprising a body, a cylinder bore in one end of said body, a piston slidable in said cylinder bore, a valve portion on said body, spring means biasing said piston away from said valve portion, said valve por tion having a valve bore therein opening into said cylin der bore, said valve bore being closed at the other end, a valve member slidable in said valve bore, said valve member making sealing contact with the walls of said valve bore to define a chamber between said valve member and said closed end, means connecting said valve member to said piston, passage-means connecting said chamber to said cylinder bore, a plurality of ports opening into said chamber at spaced distances along said valve bore, and a bleed passage connecting said chamber to the atmosphere.

l2. An actuator comprising a body, a cylinder bore in one end of said body, a piston slidable in said cylinder bore, a valve portion on said body, spring means biasing said piston away from said valve portion, said valve portion having a valve bore therein opening into said cylinder bore, said valve bore being closed at the other end, a resilient valve spool slidable in said valve bore, said valve spool having a lip portion on the end thereof adjacent said closed end to make sealing contact with the walls of said valve bore to define a chamber therein, said valve spool having a lip at the end opposite said first lip to make sealing contact with said valve bore, the portion of said valve spool intermediate the ends being spaced away from the walls of said valve bore, means connecting said valve spool to said piston, passage means connecting said chamber to the interior of said cylinder bore, a plurality of ports opening into said chamber at spaced distances along said valve bore, and a bleed passage connecting said chamber to the atmosphere.

13. An actuator comprising a body, a cylinder bore in one end of said body, a piston slidable in said cylinder bore, a valve portion on said body, spring means biasing said piston away from said valve portion, said valve portion having an axial valve bore therein opening into said cylinder bore, said valve bore being closed at the other end, a resilient valve spool slidable in said valve bore, said valve spool having a flared lip at one end adjacent said closed end of said valve bore and adapted to make sealing contact with the walls of said valve bore to dene a chamber therein, a lip on the end of said valve spool opposite said lirst lip to make sealing contact with said valve bore, a circumferential rib on said valve spool a spaced distance from said iirst lip to make sealing contact with said valve bore, the portion of said valve spool intermediate the ends being spaced away from the walls of said valve bore, an actuator rod connecting said valve spool to said piston, a passage extending through said valve spool connecting said chamber to the interior of said cylinder bore, a plurality of ports opening into said chamber at spaced distances along said valve bore, the axial length of each of said port openings being less than the spacing between said rst lip and said rib on said valve spool, and a bleed passage connecting said chamber tothe atmosphere.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENT S Kitchen Feb. 19, 1924 Lombard Sept. 20, 1932 Stelzex Apr. 10, '1945 Clowes July 21, 1959 Cook Sept. 22, 1959 

